Pipe thread protector



April 25, 1933. G PONCE 1,906,093

PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 15, 1931 INVENTOR QM@ u Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES recien G. Ponen, or rARNAssUs, PENNSYLVANIA, AssreNoR 'ro ALLEGHENY STEEL Mrenrg orifice COMPANY, F BRAGKENRIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR This invention relates to pipe thread protectors of the type employed to envelop the threaded ends of pipe to protect the threads from injury in shipping or handling, and

the present invention is a modification of the thread protector disclosed in my co-pending application, serially numbered 481,900, filed September 15, 1930, and since issued as Patent No. 1,885,37 5, of November 1, 1932.

In the aforementioned application is described a pipe thread protector made of relatively thin gauge metal which is formed to produce a structural section of great strength and which is secured to the pipe by means of a metal clip which interacts with the protector mflli the thread of the pipe to form an inter- The general structural features of the protector are retained in the present invention but the disposition and function of the interlocking element is greatly modified, as will become apparent from the several views of the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which Figure 1 and Figure 2 are side and end elevational views, respectively, of a pipe thread protector embodying the principles of this invention; Figures 3 and 4 cross sectional views corresponding to the views of Figures 1 and 2 taken along the lines III-III of Figure 2 and IV-IV of Figure 1, respectively; Figure 5 a cross sectional view illustrating the application of the invention to an internally threaded pipe; and Figure 6 a view in perspective of an interlocking clip employed in the manner hereinafter described.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing, 1 designates a pipe, 2 a metal sleeve, the inner dimensions of which are such as to permit the sleeve to freely slide over the end of the pipe 1. The ends of the sleeve 2 are crimped as at 3 and 1 to form beads 5 and 6 which are of greater diameter than the outer dimensions of the sleeve 2, and

which constitute the sleeve a structural section of great strength.

The turned over end 7 of the sleeve constitutes an abutment for the end of pipe 1 and the protector Sleeve is scoured to the pipe by an interlocking clip member 8. The side of the sleeve is slotted at 9 and 10, the slot being of sufficient Width to receive the clip 8 which is of V shape shown in Figure 6 of the drawing. p

. The sides of the V are inserted in the slots 9 and 10 and by striking a blowat the top of the V, Vthe sides and legs are diverted in the manner shown in Figures 2 and 1l of the s drawing, so that the ends 11 intimately en- 60 gage the thread of pipe 1, thus interlocking the sleeve with the pipe. To remove the thread protector, a wedge shaped tool or hook is inserted beneath the clip tol pull it out" of the thread, or the sleeve may be unscrewed from the thread of the pipe. The clip 8 is preferably of a metal softer than the pipe thread to prevent damage to the latter when the clip is driven home to effect the interlocking engagement therewith, and a suitable metal for this purpose is aluminum, although copper and mild steel may also be employed.

In Figure 5 of the drawing is illustrated a pipe 1 in which the thread is applied internalf ly instead of externally as in Figure 3 for ex- 75 ample. The pipe protector sleeve 12 is modified to adapt it to fit withinv the pipe and the ends of the sleeve 12 are crimped as at 15 and lll in the reverse manner of the crimping and the external form of the protector to also form so an abutment at 15 and a strengthening bead atthe inner end of the sleeve. The internal protector is slotted in the same manner as the external protector and a clip 8 is applied to i interlock with the thread to secure the protector in place in the manner described in connection with Figure i of the drawing.

It will be evident from the foregoing description of the invention that pipe thread te, protectors made in accordance therewith are of relatively inexpensive construction, employing a minimum amount of metal due to the relatively thin section of gauge of the metal as it is unnecessary to cut a thread in the protector sleeve, as in the prior art devices, and by means of the interlocking clip the protector is intimately engaged with the thread of the pipe without causing any damage, and without requiring that the protect- A t ing sleeve be screwed on or oif the end of the pipe. By employing a clip of the nature described herein, the protector' is interlocked with a greater number of threads than in the form of my aforesaid application, thereby assuring a. more positive engagement of the protector with the pipe. Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

l. A pipe thread protector comprising a metal sleeve having its ends crimped to form beads of greater diameter than the outer diameter of said sleeve to constitute the sleeve a structural section, said sleeve having an inner diameter sufficiently greater than the outer diameter of the pipe thread to permit the sleeve to freely slide on said thread, said sleeve being further provided with a pair of Jarallel slots axially disposed between the beaded ends of said sleeve, and a clip extending between said slots on the outside ot' the sleeve and having its ends extending in said slots for intimate engagement with the threads of the pipe.

2. A vpipe thread protector comprising a metal sleeve having its ends crimped to form beads of greater diameter than the outer dia-meter of said sleeve to constitute the sleeve a. structural section, said sleeve having an inner diameter sufficiently greater than the A outer diameter ot the pipe thread to permit the sleeve to freely slide on said thread, said sleeve being further provided with a pair of parallel slots axially disposed between the beads of said sleeve and a relatively wide clip of soft metal extending between said slots on the outside of the sleeve and having its ends extending in said slots Jfor intimate engagement with a plurality of the threads of the pipe.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

LUCIEN G. PONCE. 

